The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kisoro, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Medical laboratory professionals in government health facilities have clashed with Patrick Mpiima Kibirango, the Registrar of Allied Health Professionals in the Ministry of Health, over their welfare and failure to secure promotions.
The matters came up during a scientific conference held at Ikoro Hotel in Kisoro district. The three-day conference which started on Thursday attracted district representatives from the Uganda Medical Laboratory Technology Association (UMLTA) across the country to discuss, among others, laboratory responses to pandemic dynamics.
During the meeting, laboratory professionals tasked Mpiima to explain why their efforts are not recognized and why they are never promoted.
Benjamin Tumukunde, a laboratory focal person for Isingiro said that laboratory attendants have worked for more than 20 years without any promotion yet junior clinical officers are promoted to seniors after a period of only three years.
Tumukunde was backed by Edison Ahimbisibwe, the Laboratory Focal Person for Kazo district who said that however much they upgrade academically, the government does not consider them for promotions As a result, Tumukunde says, many of them are demoralized.
Ritah Kiiza, a laboratory technician at Bulera Health Centre III in Mityana district wants the government to consider that laboratory technicians are also important in the health sector.
Patrick Wabuyi, the National Vice-Chairperson of the association said that despite dealing with about 85 per cent of patient management, laboratory technicians’ services are less appreciated under the government system and wonders why the government has not revised the structure to consider their promotion.
Wabuyi says that during the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, laboratory technicians have played a key role in handling the situation, and developing the vaccine.
Wabuyi says that without promotion, there is no way their salaries and wages can be increased, yet they do not even have bargaining power for salary enhancement. He says that because of the same lacuna, there is no Principal Laboratory Technologist at the districts.
But, Patrick Mpiima Kibirango, the Registrar of Allied Health Professionals in the Health Ministry cautioned laboratory technicians against confusing themselves because, in Uganda, promotions are not based on academic qualifications or the number of years spent in the field but the availability of resources and vacancies.
Mpiima says that the government is in the process of restructuring to capture such complaints. He, however, says that in case the final revised structure is released without the position of senior laboratory technician, no laboratory technician will get a promotion.
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